The Immigration Advocacy and Support Center ensures that immigrants get the full benefit and
protection of the law and the support of the community as they attempt to become citizens.
IASC helps immigrants become self-sufficient, contributing citizens by providing low cost,
high quality legal services, and provides education on immigration policy for the greater
community.

TPS protects recipients from deportation. In some cases, Homeland Security allows immigrants it grants TPS to work legally and even travel. But TPS is temporary. It does not lead directly to lawful permanent residency.

In other words, after the latest extension for Haitians runs out on January 22, 2018, Homeland Security can begin deporting Haitians who received TPS.

In the meantime, Haitians who have already been granted TPS have just 60 days to re-register, starting when Homeland Security announced the extension on May 24. Any Haitian who currently receives TPS mustre-register before July 24 to continue to be part of the program. Those who are authorized to work in the US can continue to do so until January 18—but onlyif they re-register before July 24 and request a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) when they re-register.

The Department of Homeland Security grants TPS to immigrants who come from countries where events such as natural disasters, epidemics, or wars make it too dangerous to return. Historically, Homeland Security often extended TPS. Of the 10 countries eligible, half have been designated as TPS eligible for five years or more. Haitians have been able to receive TPS since just weeks after a major earthquake devastated the country in 2010.

But in a recent New York Times piece, officials at Homeland Security hinted that Secretary John F. Kelly may not extend TPS as readily as his predecessors. In his May 24 press release, Kelly himself stressed that TPS “beneficiaries are encouraged to prepare for their return to Haiti in the event Haiti’s designation is not extended again.”

Haiti’s ambassador to the US, Paul Altidor, says that failing to renew TPS would “create major issues for Haiti” as it struggles to rebuild. He also stresses that six months is not nearly long enough for the Haitian government to prepare to re-integrate nearly 60,000 emigres. Advocates, legislators, and TPS recipients also urge the government to extend TPS eligibility for Haitians.

Secretary Kelly says he will revisit the issue—and that he’ll do so no later than 60 days before the extension for Haitian ends on January 22, 2018. Until then? Haitians living in the US, like so many immigrants today, face an uncertain future.